BluePearl Pet Hospital Sandy Springs, GA Our Vets

Dr. Stacy Andrew's special interests include corneal diseases, ocular manifestations of systemic disease and eyelid surgery. Prior to BluePearl, Dr. Andrew served as a faculty member at the University of Florida.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
• Residency, Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, MSPCA Angell Memorial Hospital, Boston, MA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, University of Vermont, Burlington

Dr. Andrew enjoys traveling, reading and horse-related activities. She and husband, Dr. Alan Cross, have a French bulldog and a pitbull.

Dr. Nicolas Berryessa is particularly interested in infectious diseases and immune-mediated disorders.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Georgia Veterinary Specialists, Sandy Springs
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
• Bachelor of Science, University of California, Davis

Dr. Nicole Block is a resident in our neurology service. Her particular clinical interests include medical and surgical management of intervertebral disc disease, vestibular disease, and seizure management.

• Internship, Neurology, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Sandy Springs GA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, VCA Shoreline Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center, Norwalk and Shelton CT
• Clinical Rotation, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies

Dr. Block loves exploring new places, attending live music shows and being outside. She brings her dog Coco everywhere with her.

Dr. Ryan Bray's clinical interests include acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease, minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, immune-mediated blood disorders, and nutritional management of the critically ill patient.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal Internal Medicine)
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, VCA Animal Hospital Aurora & Berwyn, Chicago, IL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Bachelor of Science, Biology and Animal Science, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. Bray enjoys sports, traveling and a number of outdoor activities. He and his wife, also a BluePearl clinician have a daughter and a number of pets: dog Rivers, cat Wilson, two leopard geckos, two corn snakes and a Betta fish.

Dr. Alan Cross focuses on orthopedic surgery and frequently publishes and lectures on various procedures and topics within the specialty.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Residency, Surgery, University of Georgia, Athens
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Georgia, Athens
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Bachelor of Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville

Dr. Cross is passionate about motorsports. He can often be found in his garage under an automotive restoration project or racing his Spec Miata race car on various tracks in the Southeast.

Dr. Michael Di Cicco's professional interests include upper and lower urinary tract diseases, cystoscopy, abdominal ultrasonography, nutrition, and infectious diseases.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Bachelor of Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Dr. Di Cicco enjoys riding his road or mountain bike, watching Chicago sports teams, and spending time with his friends and three dogs, Marlowe, Linus and Max.

Dr. Erika Edmund is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. Interested in all facets of emergency medicine, Dr. Edmund finds treating trauma cases especially gratifying.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Arts, Biochemistry, Occidental College, Los Angeles CA

When not at the hospital, Dr. Edmund enjoys traveling, trying new food, playing video games and hiking with her dog, a one-eyed Chihuahua-terrier mix.

Dr. Andrew Eitzer is interested in multiphase CT angiography for abdominal and thoracic vascular anomalies, parathyroid gland ethanol ablation to treat primary hyperparathyroidism and abdominal ultrasound to identify intraluminal foreign bodies.

• Residency, Diagnostic Imaging, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Internship, Diagnostic Imaging, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA
• Master of Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Syracuse University, NY

Dr. Eitzer enjoys playing soccer and basketball, trying new beers, going to the movie theater and reading. His immediate family includes his fiancée and their two cats, Mimosa and Zinfandel.

Dr. Lauren Fout is excited about the new developments in veterinary radiation therapy to include stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) protocols, both of which are types of nonsurgical radiation therapy that can deliver precisely targeted radiation in fewer high-dose treatments than traditional therapy. She also has an interest in the use of both traditional western medicine and support therapy with integrated/nontraditional medicine for overall patient well-being.

• Residency, Radiation Oncology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
• Internship, Medical Oncology, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Internship, Medical Oncology, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Atlanta, GA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Nashville Veterinary Specialists, TN
• Master of Veterinary Biology, University College Dublin, Ireland
• Bachelor of Science, Agriculture (Animal Health Technology), Murray State University, Murray, KY

Dr. Fout loves traveling internationally as well as exploring locally. Other interests include reading and baking. She has two rescue dogs, Sprockey and Muppet.

Dr. Destinee Gardiner is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. She has been working in veterinary medicine for over 10 years, and she finds septic patients the most gratifying to treat.

• Clinical Rotation, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indie
• Bachelor of Science, Pure Mathematics, University of South Florida, Tampa

Dr. Gardiner’s fiancé is an ECC resident, and together they have three dogs and a cat. She enjoys horseback riding, hiking, sewing, dancing, working out and martial arts.

Dr. Gelé is always ready to tackle challenging cases like immune mediated diseases, diabetic ketoacidosis and Addisonian crisis. She doesn’t shy away from puzzling or complex illnesses.

• Internship, Emergency & Critical Care, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Sandy Springs GA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Biophysics, Georgia State University, Atlanta

Dr. Gelé likes to travel and attend sporting events. An outdoor lover, she enjoys kayaking and hiking with her husband and two dogs. Emmy is an energetic, mid-size brindle herding mix who likes to run and play. Reese is a wire-haired Jack Russell mix who likes chasing squirrels, sunbathing and snuggling.

Prior to coming to Georgia, Dr. Hamilton was the medical director and oncologist at a busy referral hospital in Cleveland, Ohio.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology)
• Residency, Oncology, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Bachelor of Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Hamilton’s favorite sport is baseball – he’s a Cleveland Indians fan. He and his wife enjoy every chance they get to spend time with their son and daughter.

Dr. Stanley Hunter enjoys all aspects of emergency medicine.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee AL
• Bachelor of Science, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee AL

Dr. Hunter likes watching sports to include football, basketball, tennis, golf and cheering on the Yankees.

The diagnosis and treatment of head trauma and neuromuscular disease drew Dr. Johnson to the specialty of veterinary neurology and neurosurgery.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology)
• Residency, Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando

An active sportsman, Dr. Johnson enjoys golf, tennis, and competing in triathlons. But even more so, he enjoys the company of his wife and their three children.

Dr. Ted Johnson enjoys educating clients about their pets’ conditions and training new clinicians on the BluePearl team.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Animal Medical Center, New York NY
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Johnson’s hobbies include biking and playing board games. He has a border collie mix named Remy.

Dr. Andrew Kurtzman is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. He developed and built a canine pericardiocentesis model that has been presented nationally and used to train veterinary students. Dr. Kurtzman is most interested in oncology, specifically lymphoma and canine hemangiosarcoma treatments.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station

Dr. Kurtzman enjoys spending time with his fiancée and two dogs, resin casting and playing Magic: The Gathering card game.

Dr. Danielle Laughlin is particularly interested in cardiac imaging using advanced echocardiography techniques and novel treatments for heart disease including new drugs and supplements to support patients with chronic heart disease. She lectures nationally on the management of heart disease in dogs and cats to help veterinarians better care for their patients. Discovering that your pet has heart disease can be overwhelming, but Dr. Laughlin enjoys working with her clients personally to help them manage their pets' care and provide their pets with the best quality of life for as long as possible.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Cardiology)
• Residency, Cardiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Bachelor of Arts, Zoology, Miami University, Oxford OH

In her free time, Dr. Laughlin likes to travel, cook and spend time with her family. She and her husband have three children, two patient terriers and one handsome cat.

Dr. Olivia Lex is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. She enjoys the variety of cases in emergency medicine and has a particular interest in wound repair and treating toxicities.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston

Dr. Lex favors outdoor activities, such as hiking, and is a huge football fan — especially the LSU Tigers. She has a little terrier mix name Dahlia, who is nine pounds of sass.

Dr. Jenny Lind has a strong interest in wound management and enjoys the challenge and variety of emergency medicine. She especially loves seeing the strength of the human-animal bond and supporting both pets and their families.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Coral Springs Animal Hospital, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Dr. Lind enjoys spending time with her Labrador mix, Matilda, along with her leopard tortoise, Pop Tort. She also enjoys watching Penn State football (WE ARE) and cheering for the Florida Gators.

Dr. Lori MacDougall's special clinical interests include pain management, oncology and reconstructive surgery. She enjoys performing soft tissues surgeries and orthopedics limited to knee surgery.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons (Small Animal)
• Residency, Surgery, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, Canada
• Masters in Veterinary Science, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, Canada
• Internship, Surgery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Washington State University, Pullman
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, Canada
• Bachelor of Art & Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada

Dr. MacDougall and her husband enjoy spending time with their active sons, two cats and dog. Whenever possible, you can find her enjoying outdoor activities and working out.

Dr. Mary Beth Maynard is particularly interested in emergency procedures, treating trauma cases, wound repairs and emergency anesthesia.

• Clinical Rotation, Oregon State University, Corvallis
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Avian Biology, University of Georgia, Athens

Dr. Maynard has a dog named Max, who she adopted in St. Kitts during vet school, and two cats: siblings named Patrick and Fury.

Dr. Tiffany McAllister enjoys the variety that emergency cases bring. She finds it very rewarding to have the opportunity to help clients in their time of need work through a stressful situation with their pets.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Georgia Veterinary Specialists, Sandy Springs
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Iowa State University, Ames

Dr. McAllister has been a member of the Air National Guard since shortly before the 9/11 attacks. She stays active with CrossFit training and enjoys traveling to new places. Her personal goal is to hike to Mount Everest base camp. Rock and Sherman are her two rescue dogs.

Dr. Eric Mize is an intern in our neurology service. He finds inflammatory brain disease and seizures the most gratifying to treat.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, VCA Sacramento Veterinary Referral Center, CA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, University of Findlay, OH

Dr. Mize has a 7-year-old beagle mix named Dakota.

Within the internal medicine specialty, Dr. Olga Norris’ clinical interests include endocrine and gastrointestinal diseases. She especially enjoys feline medicine.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Master of Science, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Alabama, Birmingham

Dr. Norris and her husband enjoy traveling, cooking and hiking. They have two poodles and a cat.

Originally from Nova Scotia, Dr. Jennifer Parkes' clinical interests include seizure management, inflammatory brain disease and intervertebral disc disease.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology)
• Residency, Neurology, Iowa State University, Ames
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Georgia Veterinary Specialists, Sandy Springs
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada
• Bachelor of Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax NS

Dr. Parkes and her husband, Dr. Nick Berryessa, met while completing their internships at Georgia Veterinary Specialists. Along with spending time with her husband and daughter, she also enjoys cooking, travel and hiking.

Dr. Courtney Paulis prides herself on learning the latest medical advancements to grow her knowledge and provide the best care for her patients. Her professional interests include wound repair and pediatric patient care.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro

Dr. Paulis is married with a son. She has eight cats and three dogs. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors, gardening and walking with her dogs.

Dr. Jennifer Pittman is particularly interested in the treatment of snake bites, sepsis and coagulation disorders.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, University of Georgia, Athens
• Internship, Emergency & Critical Care, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, University of Georgia, Athens

Dr. Pittman is an accomplished violinist. She’s played since elementary school and has been a member of the Athens Symphony Orchestra since 1999. She enjoys traveling, scuba diving and the company of her three cats.

Dr. Sayra Reyes is particularly interested in gastrointestinal disease and toxicities.

• Internship, Michigan Veterinary Specialists, Grand Rapids, MI
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Bachelor of Science, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras

Dr. Reyes relaxes with a book or snuggles with her corgi-mix pooch named Kyler. She can also be found dancing with her husband.

Dr. Cassandra Ruthrauff enjoys all aspects of small animal surgery.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal
• Residency, Surgery, Veterinary Surgical Associates, San Francisco CA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Garden State Veterinary Specialists, Tinton Falls NJ
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A & M University, College Station

Dr. Ruthrauff enjoys watching professional sports, particularly New England teams, as well as playing soccer, wakeboarding and snowboarding. Her two dogs and two cats also keep her busy.

Before joining BluePearl in Georgia, Dr. Sepulveda was assistant professor of veterinary radiology at the Michigan State University.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Radiology
• Residency, Radiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Masters of Science, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez
• Bachelor of Animal Science , University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez

Dr. Sepulveda and his wife have three children that keep them busy. To relax, he enjoys watching boxing.

Dr. Leslie Shelnutt enjoys all aspects of internal medicine. Her particular interests include immune-mediated, infectious and gastrointestinal diseases.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal Internal Medicine)
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Internship, Emergency & Critical Care, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Sandy Springs, GA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, Agriculture, Animal Science, University of Georgia, Athens

Some of Dr. Shelnutt’s favorite pastimes include traveling, running and hiking. She has a Labrador named Gwen and mixed breed dog named Meredith.

Dr. Alex Sigmund is particularly interested in good communication with his clients about their pet's diagnosis. Within ophthalmology, Dr. Sigmund enjoys performing cataract surgery and eyelid procedures. He can often be found on the exam room floor playing around with his patients to help them feel at ease.

• Residency, Comparative Veterinary Ophthalmology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Internship, Comparative Veterinary Ophthalmology, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, Agriculture, University of Georgia, Athens

Dr. Sigmund enjoys visiting Piedmont Park with his partner, collecting rare house plants and cuddling his noodle-like Ragdoll cat, King Louie.

Dr. Bailee Stahl is particularly interested in treating trauma and sepsis cases.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, MedVet, Chicago, IL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Concordia University, Mequon, WI

Dr. Stahl lives in Atlanta with her fiancé, another veterinarian, and their two cats: Mosa and Zin. She enjoys running, exploring new restaurants and breweries, baking and listening to music.

Dr. Rachel Tulipan has a particular interest in portosystemic shunts, patent ductus arteriosus and wounds.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal
• Residency, Small Animal Surgery, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Sandy Springs GA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee College, Knoxville
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Washington State University, St. Louis

Dr. Tulipan enjoys playing tennis and volleyball, hiking, running, riding her two horses and spending time with her pets: Mickey, a mixed breed dog and cat Huey.

Dr. Christina Whitley chose the field of emergency and critical care medicine because she likes seeing all types of cases and being first in line to help save lives. Dr. Whitley finds respiratory distress, immune-mediated disorders, trauma and sepsis particularly gratifying to treat.

• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Sandy Springs, GA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Atlanta, GA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science & Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh

Dr. Whitley has a daughter and a son with her husband, who is a veterinary internal medicine specialist. They have one dog (a beagle named Rivers), three cats (Wilson, Edie and Hattie), two leopard geckos (Herman and Miranda) and two corn snakes (Bianca and Goliath).

Together with her family, Dr. Whitley enjoys running, reading, traveling, being outdoors and watching sports. She is a volunteer for CHERUBS, a non-profit organization that focuses on research and providing resources for parents of children born with congenital diaphragmatic hernias.

Dr. Kevin Winkler enjoys all aspects of small animal surgery. He currently serves on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s disaster relief team.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Residency, Surgery, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens GA
• Bachelor of Science, University of Georgia, Athens GA

Dr. Winkler and his wife have four children, two dogs and two cats. They enjoy traveling and following the Georgia Bulldogs.

After nine years as an assistant professor at the University of Illinois, Dr. Jackie Wypij remains dedicated to teaching others and is often invited to speak at national veterinary conferences. She also continues to pursue additional training for herself and has earned certificates in grief counseling, online teaching and clinical and translational research methods. Dr. Wypij’s particular clinical interests include canine lymphoma and mast cell tumors; feline cancer of all types, especially oral; and palliative and hospice care.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology)
• Residency, Oncology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Internship, Oncology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
• Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, Daemen College, Amherst NY

Dr. Wypij enjoys dancing the Argentine tango, hiking, camping or chasing after her two children.